Pat Cummins has taken 309 wickets in 71 appearances with an average of 22.10.
The Australian selection chief Bailey has stated that skipper Cummins will play a "major part" in this winter's historic rivalry.
Speculation had been growing that the veteran bowler might miss the series due to a stress fracture in his back that was still troubling him.
Earlier indications from team management suggested no final decision had been made regarding whether he would play, with the extended contest set to start on the 21st of November in Western Australia.
Bailey expressed that Cummins is "building up" and felt positive about his chances of participating.
"It's clear that the window is narrowing and multiple considerations around that, not only the back issue, but additional elements," he commented.
"The outlook is good. [We are] really confident that he'll participate in a key capacity. With luck starting in Perth. If not, we'll reassess."
Past Concerns
He was sidelined the white-ball matches against New Zealand and India in the previous weeks after medical tests showed a lower back issue.
Previous incidents include of spinal problems, with recurrences in 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2015-16 causing him to miss several home seasons in a short span.
He emphasized he would be bold in recovery efforts in his comeback strategy to make the squad for the Ashes.
Bailey noted that there was no confirmation if the captain had resumed bowling as part of his comeback but acknowledged it was "becoming urgent" for him to regain fitness for the initial match.
Backup Options
In case of absence, veteran batsman Smith will take over the captaincy.
The talented all-rounder was withdrawn recently from Australia's squad for their ODI contests against India as a safety move because of an abdominal issue.
Bailey described it as a "minor" injury and stated that Green will play in the domestic first-class competition, so will be "ideally positioned to deliver overs."
"Considerable effort has gone into developing the strategy for him to participate for the first Test as an batting and bowling option," he elaborated.
"He was only going to play the starting games in any case. The way he swings the willow in shorter formats, if it causes any delay for 24 more hours, the choice was made to approach this more conservatively."
Fixture Details
The Historic Rivalry
From November 21, 2025 to January 7, 2026
